@Rafael

Do they really need to...

... do this?

I mean... it's not exactly like their current methods are causing epic fail. So why "fix" something that isn't broken?

Currently, whatever they're doing manages to uh... "quiet" most "inharmonious content" and their creators... while still allowing a negligible amount to seep out. And... it's not like they were the ones whom were on the brink of a popular uprising over their government policies.

@additional hilarity

retarded

People aren't supposed to blindly cross the road in the first place (ha ha, pun), they're supposed to wait at cross walks and then cross. And what do the blind do, cross the road until they hear a noise, then decide whether to turn around or keep going? I mean, it sounds like the only reasonable legislation would require people put on those macho-man sports mufflers on every car, so that you could hear a vehicle a few blocks down, thus buying your disabled, hobbling, blind grandmother enough time to cross the road. Instead of getting a fucking guide dog.

Stating the obvious...

Can someone enlighten me as to what...

Can someone enlighten me as to what "a common workflow layer that is automated with a scalable, relational database. The tool includes a relational database engine that facilitates many-to-many relationships among data elements, in addition to, one-to-many and many-to-many relationships" actually means?

Because, the way I'm reading it, they should be suing Oracle, PostgreSQL, MySQL, and so on... not Facebook?

Darwin award?

Why not publish the unedited version abroad? :)

I mean, I'm sure that us Reg readers across the pond wouldn't mind reading all about the MoD. I don't think spilling MoD secrets counts as a crime in the states. And arguably the market is bigger too. I'm sure there's a way to put a flag on Amazon so that UK customers would be unable to purchase the book, while everyone else could. :)

Re: Right on

Agreed.

NIN was artless with what they were doing and I think it'll pay off in the long run as well. I dished out $5 for their album and I'm not even much of a fan -- but I certainly didn't regret it.

I just hope that they continue on with this method -- I think that more people will use this form of purchase as it becomes more well known, offsetting the 50/50 divide between freefuckers* who refuse to pay anything, and those who are willing to pay a fair fee for their music.

*Yes, I realize many of them probably are kids who do not have credit cards. Still, there is probably a good fraction of them who aren't kids and have the money, but still refuse. Fuckers.

More Cheers!

Re: Freedom of speech my backside

Freedom of speech is EXACTLY the right to say whatever the fuck you want about anything and everything.

It doesn't mean that you're right, or that people have to like you for what you say.

It's not about being 'fair' or 'polite', it's about being able to say whatever the fuck you want and avoiding prosecution by the Thought Police.

I think this quote sums up my position on it:

"Freedom of speech is not a guideline or a suggestion. It is not the freedom to say things that don’t upset people—there’s no need for a constitutional amendment ensuring that. It is nothing less than the freedom to be arrogant, disrespectful assholes, or it isn’t anything at all."

Re: WTF

Bah

Real terrorists won't be caught that way. It's been demonstrated time and time again that this is just security theatre and it won't stop them. Frankly, the whole piercing thing is just retarded. What are they gonna do? Crack it open and check for a micro nerve agent in the tip? You know, something that a russian agent might be using?

Given that the TSA haven't even gone to college, I doubt that.

Why didn't the money just goto the local police, say, to better fund SWAT teams for anti-terrorist threats at airports, train stations, and so on? At least those guys understand the law, and can actually do something about threats.

PS: Fucking wikipedia. I didn't need to see that image. At work, even.

Pretty f'ed up.

Re: Brilliant

The travis case (the one with the open wifi) is suspect... and I hope there isn't handwaving done by the FBI to lock a possibly innocent man up for child porno charges, when it infact, could be one of his pervy neighbours who decided that it'd be smarter to dig for child porno on someone else's line.

The guy from Temple University looks absurdly guilty, with the attempt to destroy his harddrive and all that. (Think that clipping was from BBC)

Somehow I suspect the lot will be locked up using fallacious arguments for the wifi case. Whether or not it's true that all three of them were pedophiles is open to debate.

Brilliant!

... while I find the defense of those who actually clicked links corresponding to titles like "4 year old girl does anal and oral!!" completely absurd....

I think it's completely brilliant that now we can send such links to our hat-- err loved friends and associates, say, disguised as "Hey, want free <object of interest>? This website is giving it away for the next few days."

Thank you.

Just another great example...

... of how badly the US patent system is broken. Obvious idea, and apart from producing the actual physical device matching the picture, there would be no reason to patent that idea. Additionally, suing another company for making a completely different product with that same *very obvious* idea is just ridiculous.

First* post!

Kickbacks, perhaps? I mean, softening a subpoena and then being offered a high paying cushy job at what might become one of the most important corporations (arguably already...) on the internet... Microgoogle.

*First post, that I know of, that is. Apologies to the true first poster if I'm wrong.

Re: US patent law forbids ...

So, let me get this straight...

So, let me get this straight... basically this is a patent on Artificial Intelligence communicating with anything? So for lone programmers or the casual group that isn't backed by lots of money, we'd be liable to be sued (in the patent-owner friendly, east district of Texas) for creating any sort of AI software, including say, a chat bot for IRC, or even -- Hey! Doesn't Asterisk PBX sometimes violate this patent too?

Re: Let me get this straight

Re: Ewwww!

Blockbuster Online isn't too bad, their suggestion system needs some work (i.e. suggesting movies you already have seen, or movies you already rated at rock bottom, aka. "I never want to see this piece of crap again") -- Personally, I uh... I've done worse to them regarding their late movies... but never gotten a phone call? Is it required to give them your #? Because I might've skipped on that or given them an alternative number....

That, and I never plan on using any DRM-laden piece of crap on-demand system.